RA Movie Thread (Read 5780 times)

I prefer Sunset Boulevard, but I'm also a big fan of All About Eve. George Sanders starred in so many brilliant films...Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent, Journey to Italy, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, While the City Sleeps, Village of the Damned, and so many others.

When I watch movies prior to Brando coming on the scene, it's rare to see acting that doesn't have that stiff, line-reading, void of pursuit of objective quality to it. Many of the lead actresses back then sound like they all went to the same school of stiff-acting. But there are these breaths of fresh air that you come across whose acting is invisible, and ahead of their time. George Sanders is one of them. In All About Eve, Thelma Ritter as Birdie stole every scene she was in (reminded me a bit of Rhea Perlman). WIlliam Holden was a natural, as were Spencer Tracy, James Stewart, Bogart and Bacall, Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Gary Cooper, Fredric March, the cast of Citizen Kane...

When I watch movies prior to Brando coming on the scene, it's rare to see acting that doesn't have that stiff, line-reading, void of pursuit of objective quality to it. Many of the lead actresses back then sound like they all went to the same school of stiff-acting. But there are these breaths of fresh air that you come across whose acting is invisible, and ahead of their time. George Sanders is one of them. In All About Eve, Thelma Ritter as Birdie stole every scene she was in (reminded me a bit of Rhea Perlman). WIlliam Holden was a natural, as were Spencer Tracy, James Stewart, Bogart and Bacall, Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Gary Cooper, Fredric March, the cast of Citizen Kane...

Thanks for these great suggestions you keep posting.

Barbara Stanwyck was just amazing.

I collect classic film noir movies from the 1940s and 1950s, because that's my favorite movie genre, and Stanwyck was one of the top players along those lines. In addition to her role in Double Indemnity (which is basically Film Noir 101), she's also great in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Clash By Night, The File on Thelma Jordan, and Sorry, Wrong Number.

In addition to the usual suspects (Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Rita Hayworth, Orson Welles, etc.) here are some other early actors noted for their intensity onscreen...

Robert Mitchum was incredible back in the day, especially in Out of the Past (my personal favorite film noir), Crossfire, The Big Steal, and The Night of the Hunter.

Burt Lancaster's early film noir roles were astonishing. Brute Force, The Killers, Criss Cross, and Sweet Smell of Success are standout films from his early era.

Gene Tierney was the most beautiful woman in the history of cinema in the film, Laura, and she's also stunning in Night and the City and Leave Her to Heaven.

Kirk Douglas cut his teeth in some early film noirs and was always charismatic in his tense roles, like Out of the Past, Ace in the Hole, and The Strange Love of Martha Ivers.

John Garfield (Force of Evil, Body and Soul) is an actor who reminds me a lot of early Brando. Garfield's role as a boxer in Body and Soul is just incredible.

Edmond O'Brien, who was noted for his overwrought excited roles, is awesome in White Heat, D.O.A., The Hitch-Hiker, and Man in the Dark.

Gloria Grahame, whom most recognize as Violet in It's a Wonderful Life, is seductive and wonderful in The Big Heat, Crossfire, and In a Lonely Place.

Sterling Hayden, whom most recognize as the corrupt police captain in the restaurant with Al Pacino in The Godfather, was fierce and intense in some early noirs... The Asphalt Jungle, The Killing, and Suddenly.

(Suddenly is a fun movie just to see Frank Sinatra himself play a cold-blooded killer.)

Marie Windsor was amazing in The Sniper, City that Never Sleeps, Force of Evil, The Narrow Margin, and The Killing.

Finally, Edward G. Robinson had an incredible versatility in films like Double Indemnity, The Woman in the Window, Scarlet Street, and The Red House.

As I have delved further into the film noir genre, I recognize a lot of these old school actors more than I recognize current actors.

Fleming - a mini-series with the subject matter being the background of Bond novelist, Ian. after two episodes, the plot's gathering pace and you're getting to see how his real-life experiences (or are they fantasies?) impacted on the creation and development of Bond; particularly James' "love em and leave em" trait. it's a shame there's only another two episodes left (a provisional 3.6/5)

First of all I am a sucker for a movie set in and around an airplane. So not surprisingly I enjoyed Non-Stop. Yes, there are a couple of points where you need to suspend your disbelief. (like the ease at which the crooks were able to kill people on a crowded airplane and not be discovered or Neeson's firing of his gun while flying across the seats as the airplane plummets 20,000+ ft) Also, the supposed motive for the bad guys to do this seemed odd to me. They wanted to extort $150 million because they're mad about the airline's lack of good security? Whatever, lots of action and it did keep me guessing. But like I said, I'm a sucker for a movie centered around an airplane.

Was tired of perusing films to watch on Netflix (a.k.a as Netflix Hell) and just clicked on Private Parts, which I've seen twice before over the years. Still holds up. Very funny. Howard Stern and his crew are quite good as actors in it. A tale of sticking to the dream and being true to your art.

Friday night, watched Gravity. Tremendous effects, although mostly lost on me watching at home. I can imagine how much greater impact it would have on the big screen, or even better IMAX. Plenty of dramatic tension, although IMHO no more than Apollo 13, even though you knew how that one would turn out (had a pretty good idea how this one would turn out too). Sandra Bullock did a pretty good job. Overall if you take the effects away, a pretty small movie, and not so Oscar-worthy in my book.

Saturday might, watched Nebraska. Bruce Dern was excellent, and there were several entertaining supporting characters. Will Forte was peculiar casting, but did OK. I am not a big fan of the black&white; I guess it was to make it look more bleak, but it would've been pretty damn bleak in color. Overall it was a very Alexander Payne movie, which I generally enjoy. He usually manages to make a depressing story not so depressing; the characters are always very human, and he injects some humor and makes it a tiny bit uplifting at the end.

Was tired of perusing films to watch on Netflix (a.k.a as Netflix Hell) and just clicked on Private Parts, which I've seen twice before over the years. Still holds up. Very funny. Howard Stern and his crew are quite good as actors in it. A tale of sticking to the dream and being true to your art.

The Way Back, directed by Peter Weir (Fearless, Witness, Truman Show). Prisoners escape Russian gulag in 1941 and make their way on foot toward India. Colin Farrell was interesting, as was Ed Harris and Saoirse Ronan. Relaxing, walking movie. I was engrossed. Don't ask for too much more.

After reading this and Jason's take on this movie I had to watch it, and boy, am I glad I did. Everyone needs a really good adventure movie now and then. I'm surprised its not more well known.

Was tired of perusing films to watch on Netflix (a.k.a as Netflix Hell) and just clicked on Private Parts, which I've seen twice before over the years. Still holds up. Very funny. Howard Stern and his crew are quite good as actors in it. A tale of sticking to the dream and being true to your art.

I thought this was a very enjoyable movie, and surprisingly touching.

Cherie

"We do not become the people who this world needs simply by turning our backs on anyone we don’t like, trust, or deem healthy enough to be in our presence. " ---- Shasta Nelson

Last night, I attended a theatrical showing of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 masterpiece, Seven Samurai, and had a blast watching this movie on a big screen at long last. The theater used a 35mm print of the film, as opposed to a digital showing, and I loved the old school experience. Seven Samurai is 3 hours and 27 minutes long, but there's not a single wasted second in the movie. I've seen the film a dozen times by way of DVD and, more recently, Blu-ray, but it was fun to experience it in a theater with a big audience.

If you like an old school film experience try checking out a silent film if you get a chance. The Hanover Theater in Worcester occasionally runs a silent film on Sundays along with live organ accompaniment. My wife & I saw Wings a few months back & it was pretty cool. WWI aerial reenactments, cast of thousands & story that sill holds up.

If you like an old school film experience try checking out a silent film if you get a chance. The Hanover Theater in Worcester occasionally runs a silent film on Sundays along with live organ accompaniment. My wife & I saw Wings a few months back & it was pretty cool. WWI aerial reenactments, cast of thousands & story that sill holds up.

I love silent films, although I have not seen any on a theater screen before. I've got Wings here at the apartment, and it's an outstanding movie. I'm a big fan of the early works from F.W. Murnau (Sunrise, Nosferatu, City Girl, etc.), Charlie Chaplin (The Gold Rush, City Lights, Modern Times, etc.), Harold Lloyd (Safety Last!, etc.), Fritz Lang (Metropolis, etc.), and anything by Buster Keaton.

If you liked Wings, you should check out the silent film, The Big Parade.

I once saw Metropolis at The Avon in Providence. It came with a live synthesizer band that had created a score to the film. Amazing experience. The General is my favorite. The worst one I've seen is the 1925 version of The Wizard Of Oz. Awful.

I once saw Metropolis at The Avon in Providence. It came with a live synthesizer band that had created a score to the film. Amazing experience. The General is my favorite. The worst one I've seen is the 1925 version of The Wizard Of Oz. Awful.

They show it on TCM sometimes. I sat through it once out of curiosity. Even if you can get past the cringeworthy racial stereotypes it's a bad movie on almost all levels and has almost nothing to do with the Oz books.

I once saw Metropolis at The Avon in Providence. It came with a live synthesizer band that had created a score to the film. Amazing experience. The General is my favorite. The worst one I've seen is the 1925 version of The Wizard Of Oz. Awful.

Wait....

I take back what I said about having never seen a silent film in a theater. I saw the complete restored Metropolis at a local theater a few years ago. It was a grand experience.